Eamont Bridge
Grid Ref : NY 522287
Eamont Bridge is a small linear village immediately to the south of Penrith, and of which it forms an outlying suburb. The village contains many historic houses and inns used by drovers and travellers, for whom the village was the crossing point of the River Eamont.
The village is named after the River Eamont, and straddles the boundary between the traditional counties of Cumberland and Westmorland. Nearby is the confluence of the rivers Eamont and Lowther. 200 yards south of the bridge is the Mansion House of 1686 – a well preserved Grade II* five bay three story house, now offices.
There are two ancient sites or henges in the village – the earthwork known as King Arthur’s Round Table, and the now single standing stone of Mayburgh Henge. Mayburgh is believed to have been at one time a stone circle. Both sites are under the protection of English Heritage. Near to these is the Eden Millennium Monument, installed in the year 2000.
The southern or Westmorland half of the village lies within the civil parish of Yanwath and Eamont Bridge, and the northern part (Skirsgill Lane and Kemplay Bank) is within the unparished area of Penrith.
The village lies on the A6 road and before the opening of the M6 motorway, was a notorious bottleneck due to the narrow bridge over the River Eamont, which is still today controlled by traffic lights. The Grade I listed road bridge over the River Eamont crossing the old county boundary between Cumberland and Westmorland is probably 15th century, and was widened in 1875. The narrow, slightly humped-back, bridge of 3 segmental arches is of dressed grey sandstone with alterations of dressed red sandstone.
Yanwath Hall, on the southern side of the River Eamont, is a splendidly preserved low 14th Century pele tower and a 15th Century hall, reputed to be the finest manorial hall in England.
About a mile North East of Eamont Bridge, beside the River Eamont near the ancient tiny church of Ninekirks, is Hornby Hall, a Grade II listed farmhouse, built of local red sandstone in about 1550 by Edward Birbeck.
Nearby are Brougham Castle, Brougham Hall, Countess Pillar, Clifton Hall Pele, and the ancient church of St Ninian .
Related links :
Menu :
